Greenbrier Shopping Center Faces Redevelopment: Mixed-Use Plan Includes 173 Townhouses

The Fredericksburg Free Press reports a developer plans to demolish a portion of the Greenbrier Shopping Center and put in mixed-use buildings.

The shopping center was formerly home to Burlington Coat Factory, now in Central Park, and Big Lots, which closed and has not been replaced. Several small businesses, including Taj Indian and Two Times New, still reside there. In March, Taj owner Sandeep Singh said he was not aware of any plans to develop the center that would affect the long-standing restaurant, and as of November 13, he had not been notified of any plans.

The center is located on Plank Road. Metro Diner, Royal Farms, CookOut, and M&T Bank are all located in the parking lot along the road. Decatur’s Crabs also uses some of the parking lot.

The plan would put 173 townhouses of two sizes on just over 16 acres.

In January 2024, the City Council discussed forming a committee to explore revitalizing or encouraging redevelopment of shopping centers. The idea was to explore how to encourage developers to shift one level shopping centers into multi-story, mixed-use developments that would allow more residents and attract more commercial businesses.

Councilman Jason Graham explained in a January email that “Currently [shopping centers] provide retail options, which I want to maintain, but I think there’s an opportunity to make the areas more economically productive. We received a report from our staff that showed us the tax revenue per acre across the city, and downtown outpaced every other area of town, including Central Park, by a wide margin. I’m not saying we can recreate downtown along Routes 1 and 3, but because we’re a city of only 10.4 square miles we need to get creative about how we’re going to fund our growing need for public services.”

Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) Fredericksburg area Communications Manager Kelly Hannon said the development was not included in the plans to improve the areas where Route 3 reaches I-95, which was designed and initiated before the development was proposed. The development will not change VDOT’s plan, but Hannon said the improvements were based on traffic projections of what traffic volume may be in 2049.

Hannon explained that, unlike nearby counties where VDOT handles permits for state road projects, in Fredericksburg, the city reviews and approves land development projects and issues permits. The city follows VDOT’s roadway design standards and works with VDOT on major projects, like the proposed Greenbrier development, to evaluate traffic and road impacts.

NVR Inc. submitted the plans to Fredericksburg; the company is the parent company of Ryan Homes and other residential brands, and also offers mortgage banking services. The company is headquartered in Reston and builds homes in 16 states.